Friday, June 16, 2017

Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters routinely
run into the face of danger to save others. We protect our communities from
wildfire and act as stewards of the land. But, what about working with communities
long after a wildfire is out?

This is exactly the outlook and actions of one of
our own, Tyler Averyt.

Tyler has given selflessly in support of the agency,
the Firewise program and most importantly, the community. Because of his
demonstrated passion and commitment to the department, Tyler has been selected
as the recipient for the “2016 Seasonal Firefighter Leadership Award” for the
Oregon Department of Forestry.

“I’m so proud of the type of firefighter and person Tyler
has become. Tyler is one of many high caliber people on our team serving our
district and the people of Oregon,” said ODF Southwest District Forester, Dave
Larson.

Tyler is a 12-year veteran of the Oregon Department
of Forestry. For the past year he has been assigned to a dual role as a
Wildland Firefighter and Firewise Coordinator for Josephine County. In this
role, Tyler is called upon constantly to do homeowner inspections in order to
gain community involvement and interest in becoming a Firewise Community. While
informing and assisting residents about reducing the risk of wildland fires on their
properties, Tyler is also a fulltime firefighter for the district. He juggles
fire calls and Firewise project implementation and planning, year-round.

“He
is an employee who is highly motivated, sets goals and seeks out opportunities
to accomplish these goals. He is an outstanding representation of the
future of the Oregon Department of Forestry,” said Shelly Hoffer, ODF Southwest
Wildland Fire Supervisor.

The department chooses one firefighter throughout
the entire state to recognize on an annual basis. We are ecstatic that this
year’s honor goes to someone as hardworking as Tyler who has been dedicated to
the Southwest Oregon District in Jackson and Josephine Counties since 2006.

“Being able to watch Tyler grow both personally and
professionally over the past decade has been remarkable,” said ODF Southwest Assistant
District Forester, Tyler McCarty, “I’m so proud of him; I feel like a proud
dad.”

Tyler continuously demonstrates a high level of
commitment to his training, public education, fire prevention and other agency
operations. His allegiance to his fellow firefighters not only supports our
department policies, but he works to help others achieve personal goals as
well.

“He sets the example day-to-day. He is always the
pillar in our agency that people look up to and respect. He helps empower
people to succeed,” ODF Southwest Protection Supervisor, Karl Witz.

Tyler
is seen as a leader and the “go-to” person for questions. He is skilled in
bringing others together to work as a team, recognizing each person’s unique
skills and talents, and how those will best contribute to success.

“I
appreciate his willingness to support and provide assistance on tasks and
projects no matter how big or small they are,” said Kyndra Von Essen, ODF Southwest
Wildland Dispatcher.

He constantly goes beyond his normal duties and
expectations to make visible improvements that have enhanced the agency’s
ability to reduce fire losses and to better serve the community.

“The
Firewise community of Forest Hills could not be more pleased to congratulate
Tyler Averyt on winning this award. He is so deserving; he has supported
us 100% by starting new programs, improving old ones and has an energy level that
is unmatched. He is definitely a spark,” said Ruth and Gene Lambert,
Firewise Community members.

Not
only does he excel at his day-to-day job, but takes pride in every aspect of
his work including fire team assignments that give him the opportunity to face
new challenges. In the past year, he served on several fire assignments in
various positions, including Task Force Leader, Heavy Equipment Boss and
Contract Administrator. He continues to increase his skills and abilities in
wildland fire leadership by serving as a Trainee Air Tactical Group Supervisor
and working on his task book as a Helicopter Manager. He is always challenging
himself and willing to take on anything thrown his way.

Tyler
was nominated for this award by his colleagues and supervisor, Shelly Hoffer, Kyndra
Von Essen, and Karl Witz. His entire team here at ODF Southwest Oregon district
could not be more proud of Tyler and his achievements. We are thrilled to have
him as part of the ODF Southwest family.

“The
camaraderie is the best part, no words can really describe it. We are a team
through and through. Every day is different and comes with a new challenge, and
as a team we overcome those challenges together. It’s rewarding to see the
impact we can have on our local community,” said Tyler Averyt, the 2016
Seasonal Firefighter Leadership Award recipient.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

As
a reminder, last weekend’s rainfall did not lift fire season restrictions. Fire
season went into effect on Sunday, June 4. During fire season, debris burning is
unsafe; therefore, it is prohibited. Other prohibited actions during fire
season include the use of fireworks, tracer ammunition and exploding targets on
ODF-protected lands.

After a wet winter, the high
volume of dead grass and hotter conditions is increasing fire danger on the
Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District.

“As things continue to dry out,
the abundance of dead grass acts as a fuse for fast moving fires,” said ODF
Southwest Oregon District Forester, Dave Larson, “this is one of the many
reasons that we take violation of debris burning during fire season very
seriously.”

Since January 1, 2017 ODF Southwest
firefighters alongside are partnering agencies have already responded to over 35
wildfires in Jackson and Josephine Counties. Fourteen of those were due to
debris burning.

“We are asking that residents do
not fall into a false sense of security when temperatures cool for a couple
days. It only takes one warm, dry or windy day to drive down fuel moisture to a
point where grass and other fine fuels will readily carry fire. This is why
debris burning remains prohibited,” said Lee Winslow, ODF Southwest Assistant
District Forester.

While outdoor burning of landscape
debris by homeowners is no longer allowed, we are asking residents to ensure
that they are prepared for wildfires by maintaining a minimum of 100 feet of
defensible space around every home and building on their property.

Here are some tips on how to
dispose of yard waste without burning:

§Chipping

§Composting/Mulching

§Curbside Pickup

§Greenwaste Facility

§Biomass Energy Facility

Eliminating debris burning not
only reduces the chance of fire spread, but it could also prevent you from receiving
a citation, or even a bill for the cost of fire suppression. While a citation
ranges from $110 to $435; the cost of fire suppression can quickly become
thousands of dollars.

If you know of someone doing an
illegal debris burn in your area, report it. Your awareness and cooperation
with us can help prevent the next wildfire.

For more information about the
Oregon Department of Forestry’s fire season restrictions and regulations, or to
report a fire, please call or visit the Southwest Oregon District unit office
nearest to you:

·Medford Unit,
5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point. (541) 664-3328

·Grants Pass
Unit, 5375 Monument Dr., Grants Pass. (541) 474-3152

Fire season information is also
available online at our Facebook page: @ODFSouthwest and our website: www.swofire.com.